One Year At A Time
by TheKillerEscaped
Summary: SPOILERS FOR 'THE WARLOCK!/ YOU WOULD HAVE TO READ THE BOOK.  Josh is immortal, And stays in the past. Can he stand the time between now and when he can see Sophie? What will he face over the long years? Almost all Oneshots.
1. Chapter 1: Old Beginning

Josh took a deep breath. After helping with the sinking of Danu Tails, Josh stayed there. He had died there. Dee had killed him with a stab in the chest. Joan had told him Scathach had wrapped him in a large blanket of cloth. She called it 'The Shroud'. After Sophie had given it some power, he came sputtering back to life. Latter he found she had done to good of a job as when he was stabbed by Dee once more, he was alive. He was immortal. He killed Dee.

It surprised him how calm he was as he walked away from his sister. His sister. Sophie. She had a breakdown at the lay gate. Josh told her she would see him sooner then she thought. Because he planed to be there in San Francisco to help when the monsters came. Telling William to take the swords he left without one other look back. Fleeing with the other Elders who wanted to live in the humani shadowrealm Josh chose to blend in. He would be an enviable hand to guide his ancestors **when needed.** He did not want to become a God that wasn't.

Josh realized it would be hard, and long. But when he sees Sophie again, he will be ready. Only physically. Emotionally, he would be a wreck.


	2. Chapter 2: Roma

Walking down the river, Josh smiled. He was in the rags of this time under his light armour. He hummed. It was along while after the Goodbye incident. He missed the modern stuff. Like movies, video games, phones and his laptop. But he missed Sophie the most. After they left, he had lost connections with her. He realized now, he really was alone. And he had seen grate things. Like the creations of shadowrealms and the way the humani developed. Josh hated the way he said that._ Humani. _But he was no longer human, he was immortal. Or how would he be this old then?

Josh's thoughts were cut short when he heard something. It was faint, but he heard it. Crouching low, he closed his eyes and let his awakened hearing come to him. Then, the rustle of the grass was like a scream next to his ear. But he listened harder, waiting for that noise to come again. The screeching of an eagle was like an explosion to him. Be he remand calm, and waited. The noise came again. _There. _JoshThought. Letting his hearing dull, he opened his eyes. The calm was still there. Blue sky, green lush grass and a light breeze. All that was disturbed by a light cry. A baby's cry, Josh recognized. But there was no towns around here. Only miles up river. Looking around, he stayed still.

Then as he looked around, he saw it. A ways away from him a dark brown basket had washed on the bank of the river. It was still wet. Josh had seen this a lot actually. When a mother did not want the child, when the baby was stillborn or was deformed, she would set them adrift down the river. He shivered, he still wasn't used to the cruelty of the past. He oped just leaving it. But something told him he should go look. And he always followed his instinct. It's truly how he was alive now.

Walking over slowly, Josh tried to remember what town was up river. When he reached the basket, Josh crouched again. The baby was waling now, and he saw why. A blanket was covering the opening of the baby basket. Slowly and carefully, he removed the white dirty blanket from the top of the basket. Surprised, Josh found two baby's, twins. Bad memories washed over Josh, _Sophie._ Before he could be dragged into sadness, the crying twin looked up with large blueberry eyes. Josh looked at the child for a moment, then a warm smile washed over him. Giving the baby his index finger, he laughed as the kid still looked at him and held onto his finger with a hard grip.

That's when he realized a lot of things. One; he was in Italy. Two; there was a howl in the hills. Three; the story of Rome. When he looked over to the trees on his left he saw her. The wolf that was to keep Romulus and Remus safe. Josh flexed his finger and the baby let go. Standing up but not too fast so the wolf would not see him as a enemy. He held his arms to his side, and slowly moved back. To every step he took back, the wolf took one forward. When the wolf got to the basket josh was a ways away. She gripped the part of the weave that covered the baby's heads in her mouth and slowly moved back to the woods.

For two days Josh remand in the trees where he could see the wolf and children. He had a feeling she knew he was there. She fed the twins like she would her cubs. As much as Josh knew he would regret thinking this, the bond of human and wolf was, dare he say, _Cute_.On the third night, Josh felt something was in there part of the woods, so he stayed awake, he listen and looked. When the moon was at its highest, he saw something. Quietly standing on the branch that was his bed for the past days, he then heard something. Jumping from branch to branch he got closer to the noise. When the crunching was under him, he looked down._ A shepherd?...oh. _That's when Josh remembered the last of the Myth. _The wolf cares for the twins and they are saved by a Shepherd._

Josh follows the man quietly over head as he walks were Josh had come from. When the man see's the wolf, she is awake. Calmly she got up without waking the boys and walks to the edge of the clearing, and sits, watching. The man rushes over and picks up the boys carefully. Josh hears the man quietly say thanks to the wolf in Italian and rushes to where he came form. Slowly getting down from his perch, Josh looks off to were the man left off to. Upon feeling something furry nudging his hand, Josh looks down. The Wolf was at his side, he scratched her head. The wolf sat down. Josh smiled, this would be a good friendship. He could tell.

_**Long Years Later**_

Josh sighed. Sometimes, he wished Roman land was flat. **Not **surrounded by hills. The wolf just stayed at his side, Probably knowing he was tired. He was happy though. Glad the wolf stayed with him, let alone live this long. It had been awhile- about twenty years – since they meet. But Josh could tell the wolf walked slower, And was getting weaker each year. The wolf seemed to keep going, maybe for him. Maybe she felt how sad Josh was, about not being able to see his sister for such a long time.

After entering the town, they got weird looks. Some of the villagers were even scared. Josh and the wolf payed no heed. Most to all of the towns were the same, they didn't like wolfs. Let alone a 'young' boy bringing one into town. No one said anything though. Josh was dressed in soldier wear. Armour, gladiator sandals, weapons... none would want to anger him.

Josh knew were he wanted to go. A funeral for Romulus. Knowing the year Romulus died, they came onto Roman soil the day of the Funeral. Rome had -unsurprisingly- a sad air about it. _Duh, Josh. There ruler just died!_ He thought to himself. As Josh and the wolf turned and walked to the service, he had a feeling. A sort of feeling like; _Something may come out of no were and eat your guts!_ Sort of thing. Yeah, that didn't sit well with him. Josh knelt down in an ally and whispered to the wolf. "Stay here and wait for me, k?" as he got up the wolf sat down, licking her nose in understanding.

The door was heavily guarded- twenty to twenty-five men waited and watched. Josh nodded to the men and they parted to let him pass. Entering the 'service' sort of thing, the air became heavy with sadness. Many guards lined the walls. There were few that weren't guards. Some army men, _the Shepherd,_ Josh realized, the man looked real old now. That's when the feeling Josh had earlier came rushing back. Leaving him breathless, disoriented and confused. There was a Girl there too. Someone he recognized all to well.

_ Scathach._

He just stared at the back of her short, bright red locks. He had to talk to her. Having a helmet that covered his bold blond hair, the only thing she **Might** remember about him may be his eyes. He sure as hell remembers her eyes. He needed to see a face he hasn't in a while. He needed familiarity, after all this time. _Even though see's not going to know you and look at you like your crazy!_ He mentally yelled at himself. Gathering all the courage he ever had in his now-long live, he slowly walked over to her.

"Was he family?" Josh asked quietly, knowing that if he surprised her, his helmet would do nothing to help him. He looked sidelong at her. She seemed shocked, green eyes wide. Opening her mouth and closing it she turned back to the body. She nodded. _Bingo_. He thought. "He was a grate man." Josh said quietly. "He was." Scatty said softly. Josh herd a sniffle. _You've gone and done it now Josh! She's going to cry!_ He was now angry at himself.

"Have I seen you before?" Now _that_ took him by surprise. "Uh, Not that i know of?" He fumbled slightly. "Right. Sorry, you look familiar." She turned back to the body fully. _Yeah! You do too! 'Cause decades from now your going to help me stop the end of the world! Were going to best buds!_ He thought with sarcasm. Josh cleared his throat "I am sorry for your loss." he said, trying to make his voice more even. "Since you are here too, I am sorry for your loss as well." She said calmly.

"I must be off now." Josh said carefully. This made Scathach turn to him, her dark dress flipping with her. _I just notice that? She must want to blend too. _He mentally noted. "Where are you headed?" She asked quietly. "I don't know." He regrets saying that as Scatty gives him a weird look."What do you mean?" Scathach asked confused. "Uh, I'm only in town to pay my respects." he said as a cover-up. _Smooth Josh._

Turning to leave Josh says " It was nice meting you..." although he knew her name, he didn't want to seem like a creep. "Scathach." He was surprised she gave him her real name. " Well , I'll be off now. May fate be kind enough to let us met again." At that, He walked to the door. But not before hearing Sathach mumble ...

_"I hope you live as long as I will."_


	3. Chapter 3: Death and Resurrection

_**From the Writer: Some hints of Assassins Creed in this one. BTW these will not go in order.**_

A horrible throb of pure pain spread from his chest and through his limbs. The light hurt. The smell stung his lungs. Movement was impossible. Pain. That was all he could feel. That, and his own pool of blood below him. He couldn't think strait. He couldn't even think about his sister. His sister. The one he love. She loved him even after her betrayed her. He twitched his finger. A large sock of pain ran up his arm. Not daring to make a noise, for he knew it will cause him more pain. There was a whole in his chest. Literally and metaphorically. Literally, Dee had stabbed him in the chest. He had no clue how he was still breathing. Maybe it was fate for him to die a painful and slow death._ Fate_.

He swears that if he finds the creator of this belief, Elder or not, he would rip their throat out.

Metaphorically. This one hurt more then the real gaping chest wound. He never said sorry. To anyone. Not his sister, not the shadow, nor the Alchemist or his Sorceress. He just wished to die. But he couldn't. _Fate _wouldn't let him. The thought of his sister facing this alone bout more pain then death. He had to hull arse. He had to get up, brush this off, and save his twin! But he can't. Because he is dieing. His vision began to fade to black._ No, no, NO!_ Screaming mentally to himself. But he could do nothing. He was fading. How didn't he know he wasn't dead already? That scared him too, because he didn't know. That's when the darkness enveloped him.

So suddenly it almost hurt, he could see. But it wasn't Danu Tails. Not the place he was in his last moments. Was he dead? All he knew was that now he was in a place completely different. No blue sky, gold city, or lush grass. Just grey sky, and large metal buildings, like sky skyscrapers, as far as the eye could see. _This is not what I imagined Hell to be like... _He knew he belonged in hell. For what he'd done.Josh wished he wasn't really there. So he could say sorry to everyone for betrayal. For probably killing everyone in the future too. He felt like wailing, but no tears came. But he was there. Nothing that he knew of could be done. He could see his ragged breath in the air. He realized the chill just then. It wasn't just any chill, it was different, almost... _Magical._

Unpredictably, he felt someone else in this shell of a city. He had no practice with the he sensory gained in Awakening, so this surprised him. The person was behind him. Yes, that much he knew. Waves of power hit his back. He felt as if he should know this person, like they were..._connected _in some way. Like he felt with Sophie. But being with Sophie felt safer. Josh felt haphazard with whoever it was behind him. That's when he hears a voice. A voice that can send shivers down your spine, and yet make you feel so warm inside. _"And just what do we have here?"_. The voice was next to his left, and sent a puff of cool air to his ear. _OK I now knows that it's a man_. Josh slowly, curiously and carefully turns around. He was expecting to find a big burly man that looked like he could brake every bone in Joshes body. But he was sent into shock when he saw a 6 foot tall man with short, curly brown hair and blue eyes. The man looked twenty, had dark ripped at the knees jeans, and had a black hooded sweatshirt. His skin looked like porcelain. He was quite scrawny.

Taking a step back, Josh fumbled with words, "W-Were am I?" he cussed himself for speaking like an idiot. The man tilted his head to the side, furrowing is eyebrows. He looked confused, wholly dumfounded. " You mean you don't know?". The man said that as if he was mocking him, but Josh could hear something like concern in the back of his voice. This made the blond frown. "No really-." that's when the events before this hit him like a brick. _The monsters, Alcatraz, Dee and Dare, Sophie, __Danu Tails, the others, the fight, the wound... _Josh sucked in a breath as if he'd been drowning moments before. "I'm dead" he whispered, looking at the floor in bewilderment.

_ Dead. _

His head pounded.

_ Dead. _

Crap! Sophie!

_ **DEAD. **_

"Sorry Kiddo." Josh looked up at the man's seemingly caring voice. He took a step closer, Josh let him. "But I'm here to help." Josh was suddenly angry, His sister was left to fend alone, everyone probably hated him, **and** he was _dead_! "How in the in the worlds will you help my horribly forsaken situation?" he barked to the man. Josh twitched when he said world**s**. Plural. The man had sympathy in his eyes. "I can. Just trust me." Oh, how he wanted to. But in the one week that his life went down the tubes, and Dee killing him, he learned not to _Just trust _people. "I don't even **know **you!" he sputtered, even surprising himself. The blue eyed man smirk but kept that _look_ in his eyes. The man stepped away from Josh, making a soft clicking noise when his black sneakers hit pavement. He then held both hands behind his back and his feet shoulder width apart. Like men in the military, Josh noted. "Do you really want to know?" the look was wiped of his face. No more caring eyes, or smirk, just a stone-cold face. Josh felt as if he would regret this.

"**Yes.**" Josh said firmly. He held his ground, and heard something he wasn't quite expecting.

"Most humani know me as Adam. You probably do too. And my sister, Eve. We were two of the first humans, made by Prometheus. I have no clue why the humani only remember _us _the most though." the last part he sort of mulled to himself, Josh was stricken. Adam just carried on. "In the first years of this shadowrealm, the Elders tried to control us, use us as slaves. I disobeyed, and fought back. It was horrible. They locked me in old Archon technology. In the future, they will be known as 'Pieces of Eden'. That witch will Heal, Kill, and Destroy. In the future, I will be known as, _Consus."_ Adams voice rebounded of the buildings, surrounding them. Josh frowned. "I've never heard of you. And how do you know of the future?"

Adam, or _Consus, _just smiled. "I have the power to foresee, but I myself have no sense of true time." waving to Josh to follow him, Adam walked off the middle of the road and to the sidewalk, were he sat on a bench. Josh sat as well. Adam to his left. "How come your here? I mean, you said you were trapped right?" Josh tuned as he said this. Adam sat slouched slightly, his hands intertwined, and legs bent at the knees. He sat like a boy in modern time would. Then sadness washed over him. He felt sorry for Adam. Stuck for wanting freedom. He wondered if his situation could be helped, and if it could he would. Josh now felt trust between them. But had no clue why.

Adam sucked in a breath, then let out a deep sigh. "This, in real time, is happening all in few short seconds." Josh just looked at him, and shook his head. "That's not relevant." he was then cut off by Adams tried sounding voice. "Yes, It is. Right now your sister and friends are using one of the 72 pieces to bring you back to life. And yes, it can do that." he added dryly. Turning so now Josh could see his face, he looked... as if in pain. "You are strong, Josh Newman. You and your sister. Now is not your time to die. I can not foresee what will happen. But I will not let you and your sister end up like me and my own. I am here to help you pass back to the world of the living. Tell me Josh, Do you love your sister? Would you do anything, everything, for her?" Josh didn't hesitate. "Yes. I would do anything and everything for my sister." Adam smiled. He looked better then before. "Then you and your sister truly love each other." Josh didn't understand . Adam didn't wait for him too and reached over with his left hand, grabbing Joshes head lightly. And Josh again saw something entirely different...

_Now he had a birds eye view of his dead body. Eyes closed, chest ripped open, laying in a pool of his own blood. Hearing a scream he continued to watch as if it was a movie..._

"**JOSH!**" Sophie screeched as she ran up the steps of the golden building to its roof. That was were she felt Josh last. Leavening the others far behind in her hurry. She halted at the top of the steps. What she saw stopped her heart. She let another ear splitting scream as tears flowed down her cheeks and ran over to her brothers still body. The bloody ground rushed up to meet her as she fell to her knees next to him. Screaming his name over and over she pressed two fingers to his neck. Nothing. No pulse. Sophie felt as if her world crashed down all around her. Her brother. Josh. Dead. His eyes were closed and ghostly white lips parted slightly. A trail of dried blood ran down his left cheek. She couldn't bring herself to inspect the killing blow. Sophie could hear nothing. Only the loud thump of her heart, and her short raspy breaths. She couldn't hear everyone calling for her. She couldn't hear Palamedes' boots rushing up from behind her . When she was grabbed around her waist from behind she screamed. She flailed and cried, she wasn't thinking strait enough to use her Aura.

Palamedes tried to get Sophie under control. "Sophie! calm down! It's me!" the others were close. As soon as he set foot on the building he knew Josh was dead, so would they. Sophie stopped moving as much but kept on with screaming and crying. Hearing gasps behind him, the rest have made it. Will recovers first and runs past him and Sophie. Kneeling down by the still twin, he checks for a pulse, but came up with the same result as Sophie. Nothing. Turning his head to the now quieting Sophie, Saint Germain, Palamedes, and Joan of Arc, he shook his head. This caused Sophie to burst into more tears. Palamedes set her down softly and held her shaking shoulders with his large hands. Joan spoke with shaking words to Scathach trough the radio sort of thing they had gotten a hold of, telling her the news.

Just then a vimana airship landed on the other side of the large roof. The crystal dome retreated back to show the people inside. Scathach and a young looking Prometheus hooped out. Scathach took one look at the situation and felt something for the first time in her life. Sorrow, she thought the humani called it. She couldn't place a finger on why. Then she saw Josh. Oh Josh. She really hoped this cloth would work. "What's that?" Saint Germain asked. That's when she realized the looks on everyones faces. Sorrow. Sophie just looked devastated, her red puffy eyes still leaked fresh tears. Scatty was glad when Prometheus answered. " Archon technology, it can heal and, when given power from a living relative, can bring people back to life." Sophie's raspy voice came next. " We can bring josh back?" she whispered everyone barley herd it. The warrior nodded and walked over to Josh. Carefully, and trying to not look at his chest, she lay the linen vertically on him, and tucked in the sides.

Sophie crawled over to him. She felt the urge to trow up. It looked like he was in a body bag. She held it back though. Feeling all eyes on her, Sophie took two fistfuls of the cloth. Taking a deep breath, she let the power flow. The sent of Vanilla ice cream flooded everyone's noses. Sparks of silver shot from her fingertips, then flowed through the blanket looking object like lighting. The light smell of oranges mixed. They all moved closer...

Josh gasped for air as he could see nothing but something yellowish covering his vision. Sputtering his hands flew up and pulled off the cloth. He bolted into a sitting position. Wincing and covering his eyes from the light with his hand. He felt no pain. _Huh. _He though. The light faded quickly and he saw everyone. Scathach, Saint Germain, Palamedes, Will, Joan, Sophie and Prometheus. Sophie looked as if she had been crying. But she let out a noise of what he took for as happiness and hugged his neck tightly. They all looked relieved. Josh laughed and hugged back but not as hard. "Good to see you too!" That made them all laugh.

As Sophie let go Saint Germain and Palamedes each grabbed one of his arms and lightly helped him up. On slightly shaky legs Josh walked over to the twin jade swords. Crouching he picked them up. One went one his right hip the other on his left. He turned finding them all watching him. At some point Sophie had stood. Josh looked to them all in turn. And then sent them a lopsided grin. "Well?" this confused them. His grin widened to a smile.

"We have a future to save!"


End file.
